UKTV sees growth in audience share and VoD plays

James Acaster and Josh Widdicombe appear on Hypothetical. Image: UKTVMultichannel broadcaster UKTV, home to a portfolio of channels which includes Dave, GOLD, W and Alibi plus multi-platform Video on Demand service UKTV Play, has recorded a 3% increase in its adult SOCI (share of commercial impacts) which now stands at 9.53%.

The network has also seen strong growth in 16-34 SOCI, which is up 6% year-on-year to 6.74%.

UKTV Play, which is available on a growing range of streaming sticks, media players and set top boxes and has over 2.3 million registered users, has also seen growth with an 41% increase in views year-on-year.

Growth across the network has been driven by UKTV’s original commissions.

Panel show Hypothetical, featuring James Acaster and Josh Widdicombe, saw 1.2 million viewers tuning into its debut episode on Dave, making it the network’s most popular show of 2019 to date, and was also the most watched show on UKTV Play in Quarter 1.

The top five Q1 shows on W were made up of UKTV Originals and exclusive acquisitions (MasterChef USA, Flack, Inside the Ambulance, The Shift: Women on the Force and 999 Rescue Squad) with brand new UKTV Original scripted drama, Flack, starring Oscar-winner Anna Paquin, attracting 620k viewers to its opening episode.

On Yesterday, now the fourth biggest non-PSB channel in the UK (SOCI), new UKTV Original, Bangers and Cash, also made a strong debut (18 April).

The series, which follows the Matthewsons, a family dynasty of classic car auctioneers who uncover rare classics, kick started the Easter weekend peaking with 509k viewers and has contributed to Yesterday’s success, with adult share up 11% year-on-year and 16-34 share up 22%.

Really delivered its best Q1 on record, up 5% year-on-year, and UKTV Original Sarah Beeny’s Renovate Don’t Relocate, became the channel’s best performing property title with episode one launching to an audience of 478k.

In addition to Yesterday, Gold (+29%), Alibi (+13%) and Home (+25%) have all seen year-on-year 16-34 share increases, while Drama has seen its adult share improve by 11%.